Reconnection
by toobeauty
Summary: This is the third and last instalment of the Phainder series. It started with "Nine Full Moons" and was followed by "A miracle called Phainder". This series is about the reconnection among all the characters.
1. Little by little

TITLE: "Reconnection" 1 / 5

PAIRING: Hephaestion and Phainder. LadyLight. Alexander. Some companions and many OCCs.

RATING: PG

CATEGORY: Alternative Universe.

DISCLAIMER: I do not know the people involved, no harm intended, everything is product of my imagination, but I would not mind sharing my life with the blue-eyed god.

WARNINGS: Mention of past MPreg.

NO BETA so all mistakes are mine.

FEEDBACK: comments are love! Yes, please any kind of them will help me to improve my writing or leave it forever.

Author's note: This is the sequel to "A miracle called Phainder". Drabbles from my Phainder universe will be included and some of them modified to fit the whole story.

* * *

><p><em><span>CHAPTER 1: "Little by little"<span>_

As soon as Phainder and Hephaestion got to their farmhouse, the boy went directly to LadyLight's arms and hid his face in her lap.

"What happened?" she asked worried while her hands caressed the blonde tresses.

"The King is my Papa's friend" he whispered.

"What did you say?" she asked surprised, not knowing how the little boy could have made that connection.

"Alexander was bringing him here and he told him that I was his chiliarch" Hephaestion said approaching them.

"By sweet Aphrodite" she said and hugged the little boy a bit tighter.

"Why didn't you tell me about him?" Phainder asked, with his head resting on his Nani's lap.

"I told you a lot about him, son. In fact, all your bedtime stories are about him and the time we spent together" Hephaestion said and put his hand on the blonde mane, so similar to his father's.

"But you never said he was that special to you" Phainder replied a bit angry.

"I didn't think it was important for you to know that" Hephaestion replied sincerely.

"May I go to bed now?" Phainder asked in a whisper.

"Of course, put on your night clothes and I'll be there in a bit" Hephaestion said.

"I prefer if Nani comes with me tonight" Phainder said and Hephaestion just nodded.

The man was s shattered, not only his own son did not want him near but also Alexander who had fled as if the very same Hades were running after him.

He let himself fall onto the rocking chair and hid his face behind his big hands. He felt his world falling apart when he thought he had everything under control; he could not believe that at the simple mentioning of his former title his son had been able to put two and two together and now Phainder hated him for hiding the special relationship he had had with the king. Hephaestion did not know what he would do to make him up for that; he really hoped LadyLight could help him.

* * *

><p>In the meantime, LadyLight was tucking the little blonde in his bed under a light cover; it was warm but nights tended to get a bit cold sometimes. She was about to leave the pensive boy alone when he asked:<p>

"Why?"

"Why what?" she asked.

"Why did he lie to me?"

"Your father did not lie to you, he might have only not been specific about who he was talking about" the woman said.

"But he is a liar anyway" he said and pouted.

"So, am I a liar too? I told you that your father and his friend saved me when I was a child. That friend was king Alexander, however in that time he was just the Macedonian prince" she said while running her long fingers along the long wavy hair.

"Oh Nani" he said and wept.

"Why don't you try to sleep and then tomorrow, when you are calmer, you can talk to your father if he is ready?" she said while drying the stray tears that had escaped from the blue eyes.

"Why won't he be ready?" Phainder asked curiously and much less angry.

"Well, it was shocking for your father too; he had not seen his king for six long years" LadyLight explained and saw how Phainder was also thinking about that.

"Can I have a hug, please? I'm feeling sad" Phainder said in a whisper.

"Of course, my master" she said and hugged him tightly and long against her chest.

Minutes later, the little boy sighed loudly and lifted his face for his goodnight kiss. The small woman was more than eager to give it because it meant that he was feeling better. She arranged the cover, fluffed the pillow and blew out the candle.

* * *

><p>When she went back to the kitchen, she found Hephaestion with teary eyes and such a sad expression in his face that she could feel her heart breaking into a thousand pieces.<p>

"What will I do now? Both of them hate me" he murmured.

"Nobody hates you, Phai, don't be so melodramatic" she said.

"They both ran away from me" Hephaestion insisted.

"Phainder is only five; he doesn't understand what is really happening. He only thought that you had lied to him on purpose. As regards Alexander, I can assume that he was too shocked to react in a more civilized way" she said while kneeling by Hephaestion's side and resting her hand on the man's knee.

"What about now?" the former General asked while letting his cyan eyes take comfort from the only steady and confident person in his life.

"Well, I convinced Phainder to talk to you as soon as you are ready because you have been shocked too. With Alexander, well only you know what to do" she said.

"What would you do if you were in my position?" he asked trying to get a sincere answer.

"Oh no, don't ask me! You are the only one who can solve it" she said.

"But I have always appreciated your advices, they are always so accurate and logical" he said.

"Flattery will take you nowhere this time, sire" she said seriously.

"Please?" he said and gave her his puppy eyes because he knew she would not be able to deny him anything.

"Well, I'd analyze my feelings first, then I'd think where I want them to take me without forgetting that I have a five-year-old son who can lose everything he knows and has" she said plainly and slowly so Hephaestion could understand her well.

"You are right. I still have deep feelings for Alexander, I love him, but Phainder comes first and I don't know how or what Alexander feels about me" he said clearly.

"Well, I think he is still in love with you. Phainder had told me about their conversations and he always speaks about his partner with love and respect" she added.

"Well, we will see what happens next. First, I have to speak with Phainder and explains why I have hidden that part of my life" he said.

"Will you tell him everything about Alexander?" she asked a bit nervously.

"No, he is too young to understand it all but I will let him know that it is not bad to see him" Hephaestion said and sighed loudly.

"That will work in your favour; he was afraid you would forbid him to see him again" she added.

"I'd never do that" he said fast.

"I'm happy to know that. Well, let's go to bed, it had been quite an emotional day for all" she said and patting her friend's shoulder, she went to her chamber.

Hephaestion followed LadyLight's advice but he could not rest at all. He twisted and turned all night long and when he finally fell asleep, his rest was riddled with images; some were very old, when both Alexander and he were children and then teens. He also dreamt about their many times together as partners and lovers and how their relationship had gone cold with the appearance of Bagoas and the introduction of all the new and exotic customs to their plain and common soldier life. He also dreamt about Alexander's reaction, in connection to Phainder and the dream became a nightmare when a furious Alexander took Phainder from him to be raised in the royal palace.

Hephaestion woke up with a cold layer of sweat covering his skin and his heart galloping inside his chest. He got up and had a bath, knowing that he would not be able to sleep again that night. Anyway he remained in his bedroom, thinking about what he could do.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, some stadia away from the farmhouse, a white-haired man paced nervously from one side to the other of the royal chamber. He had been unable to sleep; he could not take the image of Hephaestion out of his head and the revelation that Phainder was his former lover's son. He could now understand why he had always felt drawn to the little boy and why he reminded him of Hephaestion as a child. He was the spitting image of his father except for the blonde hair and he realized that there was not a single feature of Drypetis's in him and how strange that was.<p>

The mere thinking of that female name brought pain to his heart; she had been able to give Hephaestion what he couldn't, stability, a home, a son … what Alexander did not remember at the moment was that Phainder had told him he had never met his mother at all.

Alexander went on thinking and realized that Hephaestion had achieved what he could not and wanted the most, an heir, and it seemed as if he would never have one. He had asked Roxana to free him of their marriage and the spiteful woman had agreed after taking with her so many riches that she would be able to live comfortable for the rest of her life. He had lately learnt that he had no heir of his own because she had been drinking a concoction that prevented her from getting pregnant.

He had also got rid of Bagoas during his campaign to Arabia. The young eunuch had been the main reason of his separation from Hephaestion, he had taken a place that was not his but Alexander had also been blind in that moment and unable to see how much damage he was causing to the only man he had loved so dearly.

Seeing Hephaestion today had been very painful. He could feel the deep and wide rift between them and he was afraid of not being able to find a solution. He really wanted to be friends with Hephaestion again, as it was impossible for them to go back to their former relationship as his brunette was a family man now and he was no longer His brunette.

Alexander decided that he would ask for a meeting with him and he really hoped they could clear the air between them and find a place between what they had and what they could have had.

Having reached to that decision, he let himself fall onto the massive bed and dozed off for two or three hours.

* * *

><p>The following morning arrived too quickly for the people in the farmhouse. LadyLight was up at dawn and ready to act as normal as it was possible. She started to cook some biscuits for her masters and the tempting smell woke the youngest one.<p>

Phainder appeared in the kitchen, rubbing his small fists against his eyes to get rid of the remnants of sleep. His sniffling made LadyLight turn round and found him with a tiny smile gracing his lips; his eyes still had that look of sadness of the previous day but she did not say a thing about it.

"Joy to you, my master" she greeted him knowing that his title in her mouth made him smile.

"Joy to you, Nani. How are you?" he asked getting closer to the petite woman.

"I'm fine, just busy baking some awful oatmeal cookies with raisins" she said hiding her smile.

"You would never cook something awful, even if you tried hard" he said and hugged her waist from behind.

"Thank you, my boy. Ready to have some breakfast?" she asked, dusting her hands on her apron.

"I will wait for the cookies" he said.

"I have some already cool on that tray" she explained.

"Well, in that case, can I have some milk with my cookies, please?" he asked politely.

"Of course, my master. Have a seat and I will take everything to the table" she offered.

Quick and heavy footsteps entered the kitchen and a long sigh was heard afterwards.

"What's the problem, sire? LadyLight asked, alarmed at the expression on Hephaestion's face.

"I went to check on Phainder and when I found the bed empty, I panicked" he said.

Phainder looked at him surprised and said:

"Why did you panic?"

"Because I thought you had run away" he confessed.

"Why would I do that?" Phainder asked, confused.

"Because you are angry with me" Hephaestion said.

"I'd never do that to you, papa, even if I were angry" Phainder said.

"Thank you, my son and forgive me" Hephaestion said and knelt by his son's chair.

"What for?" he asked.

"For not trusting you with all the truth about the king; for thinking that you may abandon me and go to him" Hephaestion said and could not hide a sob.

"But you are my father" Phainder said and turning around in his chair, he hugged his father as tight as his small arms allowed him.

"By Zeus, you are the best son a father could ask for. Let's finish your breakfast and then we can talk more" he said and after kissing his son's forehead, he stood up.

LadyLight was looking at the scene and then smiled widely and she immediately knew that everything was going to be all right.

* * *

><p>The talk between father and son was a long one. Hephaestion started telling him how he had met the king at his grandmother's house one cold evening when he was eight and how they had shared everything since that moment onwards. He told him about their studies under Aristotle's tutoring; his first campaign under the command of king Phillip, Alexander's victory against the Sacred Band of Thebes and the sadness that had invaded both of their hearts after it.<p>

Hephaestion also confessed that Alexander and he had had the same kind of relationship that Stephanos and Nikos had and then he stopped speaking to let his son ask any question he wanted.

"So you loved the king and the king loved you back" he said.

"Yes"

"Why aren't you two together" he asked curiously.

"Because he fell in love with someone else and then I fell ill so he went on the Arabian campaign alone and now he is back" Hephaestion said.

"So, he is here and you are here too. What are you waiting for, papa?" he asked, not understanding why both men were still alone.

"Well, he has a wife now and he will soon have children with her" he added.

"No, the king has no wife, he's alone, like you" Phainder said.

"How do you know?" Hephaestion asked curiously.

"Because he never mentioned a wife, only his lover and that is you" Phainder said.

"Well, if you say so. You can still see him but try not to mention me a lot, he needs to go on with his life" Hephaestion said and was leaving when a question made him freeze in the spot.

"Your wife was not my mother, was she?" he asked.

"No, she wasn't. Your mother is a very special person" he added.

"Will you ever tell me about her?" he asked.

"I will. I promise that I will tell you everything as soon as you can understand it well" Hephaestion said.

"Can you take me to the palace later? I want to see how the king is doing" Phainder asked in a whisper.

"LadyLight will take you, she is visiting Thais and Andromede" Hephaestion said.

Father and son went back to the kitchen and the brunette nodded towards the petite woman who sighed lowly in relief. The three of them went back to their normal activities until it was time to go to the palace.

* * *

><p>As soon as Alexander saw Phainder in the palace, he felt his heart burst with happiness because Hephaestion had not kept his son away from him.<p>

The little blonde greeted the former blonde and asked curiously:

"You are not old so why is your hair white?"

"I really don't know, it was blonde like yours some years ago" he explained.

"My Nani said that maybe it is because you are always nervous and sad. I can ask her to make some medicine for you; she always cures me" Phainder said seriously.

"Fine, ask your old nanny for some medicine for my nerves and sadness" he replied smiling.

"My Nani is not old, sire. She is … she is 29 and she is beautiful" Phainder said amorously.

Alexander did not know what to reply. His Hephaestion was living with two young and beautiful women so he was sure that the brunette would not want to have anything with him again. For the first time in his life, Alexander felt old, weak and impotent to get what he wanted the most.

"Good for you" Alexander added after some time.

"I will go and see my cousins now, Sire" Phainder said and ran towards Perdicas's chambers.

Alexander felt as if he was supporting the whole weight of the world on his shoulders. He headed to the palace kitchen where he found his cook Lena talking to a young woman who he did not know who she was.

"Joy to you" he said and without lifting his eyes, he picked up a piece of cake and bit it on the honey filling.

"You still have a sweet tooth, Xander" the unknown woman said and that immediately made him lift his gaze to find a pair of well-known hazel eyes looking into his mismatched ones.

"Sunshine, what are you doing here?" he said, enveloping her in a warm and tender hug.

"I brought my young master to play with his cousins" she said on purpose and waited for the king's reaction.

"Oh … you are Phainder's Nani" he said.

"Yes, I am" she replied proudly.

"So you are one of the women living with Phai" he whispered.

"I am the only woman in the house but I am not living with Phai" she answered clearly.

"But, what about Drypetis? Where is she?" Alexander asked surprised at the revelation.

"She went back to her family as soon as you left Ecbatana" she replied.

"Why?"

"I don't know, you'll have to ask Phai" she answered.

"Really? And he'd tell me; he, who did not dare to look for me when I was back and that we have only met just one and by chance" he said, a bit upset.

"Well, you did not come to see him either" she added, a bit upset too.

"I didn't think he would want to see me. He had his own wife and son and I was just a former lover, a reminder of the life he left behind" he said in a whisper.

"By Zeus, men can be so thick sometimes. Well, I have to go, I promised Andromede that I would help her with Perseus" she said and after patting his arm, she went away.

* * *

><p>LadyLight's revelations were creating chaos inside the king's mind. The turmoil of feelings and thoughts were giving him a strong headache but he forced himself to calm down and try to understand what was happening.<p>

He poured some fresh cold water in a goblet and took another honey cake. He wanted to think and an empty stomach would not help him at all, neither would help the rich red Macedonian wine he used to drink a lot.

He sat at the kitchen table under the attentive and loving look of his royal cook. Lena had been with his family for as long as he could remember and she had always taken care of all his needs. When a plate with several caramel figs and a cup with warm milk appeared by his side some time later, he realized that he had been deep in his thoughts for too long and his face surely showed all the signs of needing some of his comfort food.

He smiled at the wrinkled face and went on thinking about all the new things he had learnt about Hephaestion. First of all, he no longer had a wife, he had not had one for six years and LadyLight assured him that she was living in the same house but she was not sharing his bed and no other woman did.

Then he suddenly realized that LadyLight must have been wrong about the date because Phainder was five so Drypetis must have been living with Hephaestion to bear his child. Something was nagging at the back of his mind and he finally remembered that Phainder had told him that he had never met his mother so maybe she left when he was a little baby but if she left Hephaestion, why didn't she take Phainder with her?

There was something bad about the times and he was ready to find out what that was.

He suddenly got a second thought, maybe Hephaestion had taken a mistress and she had been the mother, and that was why Drypetis left. However, he could not imagine Hephaestion doing that as a newlywed man and, even if that had been the case, he wondered why Drypetis had left him; maybe she was feeling jealous or insecure.

If that was the truth, he wondered where the mistress was. She must have died giving birth to Phainder or died after, that was the only explanation he could think. No good mother would leave a baby behind, not even his own mother, who was a true snake, had done something that atrocious to any of them.

Alexander's headache was getting stronger so he decided to go for a walk; he needed some fresh air. While he was walking, the laughter of children led him to the women's garden. Thais, Andromede and LadyLight were sewing and looking after the four children. As soon as they discovered the king's presence, they ran to him and taking him by his hands, the children led him to the stone seat. They immediately sat on the grass, facing him, and asked him to tell them some stories. The king cleared his voice, began to speak, and had the four children mesmerized with the feats of the heroes in his stories. Phainder looked at Alexander with so much love in his sky-blue eyes that it made LadyLight's heart hurt and she promised herself to do the utmost to help them be a family soon.

* * *

><p>The visits to the palace continued and even though the former chiliarch did not see the king, he always knew what was happening in the palace.<p>

Little by little, his solitaire life had been invaded again by stories about his king and his mind had started to fantasize how it would be being together again.

Little by little , Hephaestion let the icy cover around his heart melt and let himself think about Alexander, not only as the father of his son but also as the true and only love of his life. He released all the love he still felt for him and it was as if a dam had been broken, flows and flows of love and happiness filled his heart and body and confidence was again a common feature in his life.

He realized that he had to be more open-minded and enjoyed life; maybe life was giving them a second chance and he was more than ready to take it.

Hephaestion was resting his tired eyes after a long day giving his lectures at school. When slumber was nearly coming to him, he eavesdropped a conversation outside his chamber window. He identified Phainder's little voice, which was quite clear in his speaking, and the second voice belonged to LadyLight, his faithful friend and the child's nanny.

Hephaestion got up from his bed, approached the window and listened to them carefully:

"So Phainder, are you ready to dictate me your letter?"

"Yes, thank you very much for helping me, nanny. My handwriting is not so clear and some letters are difficult to draw" the little boy confessed, blushing.

"You are welcome, my little master" the petite woman said, caressing the boy's cheek. "So tell me, who is the letter to?"

"To King Alexander" the boy replied happily.

"And what is it for?" LadyLight asked, after having paled a bit.

"To invite him to my sixth birthday party" the boy explained.

"Ah! Have you asked for your father's permission?"

"Yes, well, he told me to invite anyone who makes me feel happy or want to have near me in this special day. And the king makes me very happy and I love him, not as much as I love my father or you, but he is near to my heart" the little boy confessed, amazing the woman sitting beside him.

Hephaestion could not stop the stray tears that ran along his cheeks. He could not doubt any more that his son was a very special person and his request had brought back all the thoughts and feelings he still had for his Xander.

LadyLight wrote the letter and promised to send a messenger to the palace as soon as possible. Before doing that, she looked for Hephaestion, told him what had happened and she saw a tiny spark of glee in his cerulean eyes. Maybe things were better than she thought.

* * *

><p>The day of the party arrived. Phainder was surrounded by friends and presents; there was joy and happiness in the air and suddenly most children went silent. Phainder turned round to see who had arrived. His little face was crowned with a wide smile and he ran quickly towards the man, who picked him up in his arms and hugged him tightly.<p>

Alexander put Phainder down and gave him his gifts: a midnight blue cloak and a small dagger, which should be used only when his father was with him. Phainder took Alexander's hand and led him to the table, where Hephaestion was sitting with Ptolemy, Thais, Perdicas, LadyLight, Andromede, Nikos and Stephanos, among others. He greeted them and was greeted back. The atmosphere was a bit tense so Thais started with her talking and everybody felt more relaxed.

Whenever Hephaestion looked at Alexander, he found the king looking at Phainder so intensively as if he wanted to burn the image of the boy in his retinas or as if he did not want to lose any of his movements and reactions.

Sensing Hephaestion's eyes on him, Alexander turned round and smiling sheepishly, said:

-"You have raised an amazing son, Hephaestion"

- "Thank you, Alexander. He is very special."

- "I can see that. He is well educated, with excellent manners. He surely brings you too much joy."

- "Yes, he does."

- "It is strange what I feel for him: pride, peace … love" the king confessed, nearly murmuring.

Hephaestion looked at him gently and Alexander could see a crack on Hephaestion's hard mask.

"Please, don't misunderstand my words, but I love him as if he were my own. I'm sorry" Alexander said, lowering his eyes and hiding his face in his hands.

Hephaestion approached him, lifted his head and cupping the royal face with his slender hands, he whispered softly:

"Don't be sorry, because he is your son too"

"What are you saying? How is that possible?" a frantic Alexander asked.

"Because our son is a miracle, a true gift from the gods" Hephaestion replied while caressing with his thumbs the king's cheeks.

"I don't understand" Alexander said and his mismatched eyes showed clear signs of distress and hope.

"I want no more secrets between us, Alexander" Hephaestion said seriously.

"Me neither" he agreed with him.

"Let's meet tomorrow, we need to talk. But now let's enjoy our son's party" he said and left a chaste kiss on the king's lips.

TBC


	2. No more secrets

_CHAPTER 2: "No more secrets"_

The following morning Hephaestion rode to the palace and for the first time in seven years, he entered the royal chamber, the one that used to be his. The guards posted outside greeted him with a big smile and he realized that they were still the same men who had guarded his and Alexander's lives and secrets for many years.

He did not know if he should knock or not so he decided not to. He entered the main part of the chamber but there was no king waiting for him. He cleared his voice and called the king's name.

"In the balcony" a soft voice answered.

The brunette walked towards the balcony, moved the heavy curtains and found Alexander with his back to him, his arms resting on the rail and he was sure that his mismatched eyes were wandering around the city below him.

"Joy to you, Alexander" Hephaestion greeted and approached the man.

"Joy to you, Hephaestion" Alexander greeted back and when he turned round, he could not hide the dark bags beneath his eyes or the nervous look in them.

"Are you feeling fine?" Hephaestion asked worried.

"I could not sleep at all last night and even though I begged the gods for the night being shorter, they did not listen to me" the king replied.

"I'm sorry I made you wait one night but I have waited seven long years" Hephaestion answered calm but seriously.

Alexander looked at his former lover and just nodded, truly understanding the hell Hephaestion had been living through for such a long time.

"Let's have a seat and talk; I think it will be a very long and difficult conversation" Alexander said and gestured to the love seat in the balcony.

Both men sat in silence for a while and then Hephaestion started to tell Alexander about the last six years without him. He told him about his wish when he was a teen and his offer to the gods to make it come true. Alexander looked at him puzzled so Hephaestion explained in more details.

"We were 16 and already lovers when I burnt some spices at Hestia's altar and I asked her to grant me the miracle of giving you children" Hephaestion confessed and remained silent.

"By Zeus, Phai, why did you think the gods would listen and grant you that?" Alexander asked truly surprised.

"Because it was the deepest and purest desire of my heart. I didn't want to lose you, not even to a woman who would take my place and give you the heir you would need for your empire" he explained.

"I never thought about replacing you, Hephaestion" Alexander said.

"But you did, as soon as the exotic and sexy Bagoas appeared in our lives, your mind was clouded by desire and the need of collecting more riches and lands. Then your marriage to Roxanne drove us more apart; her jealousy was like poison so I decided to step aside and you saw that as weakness on my part so you looked for comfort in Bagoas, even more than before" Hephaestion stated calmly.

"Why didn't I realize anything of this? How could I be that blind? How could I leave you behind?" the king asked and racked his fingers through his white hair.

Hephaestion, in that moment, realized how old and tired Alexander looked and he felt his heart go to him because he felt the need to make things better for Alexander and for himself.

"Before you went on your campaign to Arabia, I fell ill and I thought I was going to die" Hephaestion said, continuing with his explanation.

"I never knew you were so ill, if not I'd have done something to help you" Alexander admitted.

"I was very weak and I could not keep anything inside; that situation weakened my whole body and you only saw that as a liability. You dared to tell me that you could not take care of me if I was ill and your rejection made my illness worse" Hephaestion added.

"I can't believe that I told you that and left in spite of knowing you were not feeling well" Alexander said and immediately hid his face behind his hands.

Hephaestion sat closer, took the king's hands in his, and then made him look at him.

"Alexander, I was not ill. One day Hestia came to me and explained me what was happening to me. She told me that the Olympians had granted me my wish and that I was expecting your baby" he said and stopped talking; he wanted to give Alexander some time so he could assimilate and understand his big revelation.

"Hephaestion, are you telling me that I got you pregnant, that you carried Phainder inside you and that he is my son too?" Alexander asked in astonishment but Hephaestion could clearly see understanding and hope in the mismatched eyes.

"Yes, Alexander, Phainder is our son, a miracle born of our love" Hephaestion said and hugged Alexander tight.

The king of the biggest empire of his time was shocked; he could not believe that the gods had intervened, once again, in his life to give him another gift. They had gifted his Hephaestion when he was a boy of eight summers and now they had given him a son and heir to his massive kingdom, a son from the man he had only loved.

"Does Phainder know about me?" he asked nervously.

"No, he is too young to understand something as complex as that" Hephaestion explained and saw sadness invading Alexander's eyes.

"Of course, he surely believes that Drypetis is his mother" he said, wanting to get more information from his Phai's own lips.

"No, I sent Drypetis back to her family before I started to show" Hephaestion explained.

"So how did you manage to go on with your pregnancy alone?" Alexander asked.

"I was never alone. LadyLight moved with me to the farmhouse and she was and still is by my side, looking after us. Ptolemy and Perdicas also knew about it as well as Stephanos and Nikos" he added and expected the king's angry reaction.

"Why didn't they tell me anything about this?" he asked in a whisper.

"I told them not to do it, you were so focused on your new campaign that I didn't want to interfere and we were so distant that I did not know if you wanted to be part of our lives" Hephaestion confessed.

"I'm so sorry, Hephaestion. My incompetence and blindness made you think that. I can't blame anyone but myself" Alexander said, feeling devastated because his own selfishness had deprived him of seven years of love and happiness.

They remained in silence for a while until Alexander said:

"Phainder is an amazing boy"

"Yes, he is. He is curious, intrepid and brave; he is also smart and kind" Hephaestion said and he could not hide his pride.

"Well, he is your spitting image" the king added.

"Except that he got his blonde hair from you" Hephaestion said.

"My former blonde hair because now it is completely white while yours remains as brunette as it has always been" Alexander said.

"What happened? Why is it like this now?" Hephaestion asked.

"I don't know but it went white overnight after a serious wound in my chest. Do you know that I saw you and Phainder during my delirium but of course I didn't know that Phainder was mine at that moment or even who he was" Alexander said.

"Phainder saw you in his dreams that night too and he was very sad for many days after that" Hephaestion told him.

"I'm sorry, it seems that I only cause him pain" Alexander said and stood up to pour some water in a goblet.

Hephaestion looked at him a bit puzzled, Alexander was not often seen drinking water but he did not say a word. However, when Alexander handed him a goblet, he saw the expression and felt the need to explain.

"I rarely drink wine nowadays and if I do it is cut with lot of water. I took some bad decisions under the influence of wine and I promised myself to be more moderate in the future" Alexander explained.

"Don't let your mother know about this or she'd go mad, being a true follower of Dionysius" Hephaestion said and laughed loudly.

"By Zeus, how much I have missed your laughter" Alexander said in a whisper.

Hephaestion looked at him for a long time and then he said:

"Maybe you can come by the house and spend some time with him … with us" Hephaestion offered.

"I would like that a lot, thanks. Are you sure, Hephaestion? I really don't want to impose on you" Alexander asked a bit nervous.

"I might have changed, Alexander, but my word remains as pure and true as it always had been, so believe me when I tell you that you will be more than welcome in our house" Hephaestion said and for the first time in a long time, he gifted Alexander a true smile.

Alexander felt his heart burst with happiness as fear left the tight grip it had around his chest. The conversation had gone much better that he had imagined. He should not have doubted Hephaestion to be civil and polite as he had always been.

Alexander invited Hephaestion to have lunch with him and the brunette accepted but he told him that he could not spend the whole day there because he had some lectures to give in the afternoon.

"Are you happy being a teacher?" Alexander asked curiously.

"I really am; in the beginning I thought that it'd be more difficult but it leaves me some free time for Phainder and there is no risk at all in this profession so I am sure that I will be able to see Phainder in his old age too" Hephaestion said in a low voice.

"Did you regret the time you spent in the Army?" Alexander asked in spite of feeling afraid of knowing the true answer.

"Never. The army gave me good experiences, it also allowed me to know new places and peoples; appreciate new cultures and customs, among other things" Hephaestion replied.

"Did you regret the time you spent with me?" Alexander asked again, knowing that everything could depend on that answer.

"No, I treasure every moment we spent together. You taught me so many things and I loved sharing your dreams. You gave me the biggest gift of all and I don't know how I could repay you for that" Hephaestion said while setting his cerulean eyes onto mismatched ones.

"The best way to repay me is knowing that you are happy and healthy and that Phainder grows to become a good man as his father; that is all I want" Alexander confessed his deepest wish and immediately after, cast down his eyes, probably to hide the imminent tears.

"Don't you want anything for you, Alexander?" Hephaestion asked seriously.

"I don't deserve it, every man is the architect of his own destiny and I am sure that I did something wrong in the way to lose the most precious things I had" Alexander confessed in return.

"You are being too hard on yourself; everybody makes mistakes, everybody deserves forgiveness. You are not a lesser man, Alexander, you are a great king and conqueror; you are a good and loyal friend and … "

A very contrite Alexander interrupted the brunette's explanation:

"But I was a selfish partner and an unfaithful lover and I don't think I can be a good example for anyone to follow" Alexander stated.

"I think you are wrong, Alexander, and I will find the way to prove you the opposite" Hephaestion said and stood up.

"Are you leaving?" Alexander asked a bit sad.

"Yes but you are welcome to come to our house and spend some time there, whenever you want and I really want it to be soon" Hephaestion said and approaching the sad king, he enveloped him in a warm and tight hug.

Hephaestion realized how thin and weak Alexander was and he was worried; the arms around his waist did not feel strong and he could not feel the vibrating energy and strength that used to run along the royal frame.

Hephaestion ended the hug and took a step backwards; however, he did not release Alexander's hands. The king was surprised by the gentle and intimate gesture so he lifted his gaze and saw preoccupation in the beautiful cyan eyes.

"What?" he asked but he could guess what Hephaestion was going to say.

"Please, take care of yourself; if you don't do it for yourself, do it for your son" he begged him.

"I will, don't worry. Be happy" Alexander said.

"I won't be happy until I see you recovered, Alexander" Hephaestion confessed and left the palace.

On his way home, Hephaestion realized that Alexander had the kind and stupid intention to keep himself away from him but he would not permit that; he still had strong feelings for Alexander and Phainder would need his two fathers. In that moment, Hephaestion remembered what Zeus had promised him after delivering Phainder, Alexander would return and together they would sort out their problems and become a family.

Hephaestion promised himself to do everything in his power to convince Alexander that they deserved a second chance at love.

TBC


	3. Getting closer

_CHAPTER 3: "Getting closer"_

It took Alexander a full week to gather the courage and dare to visit Hephaestion and his son. He had ridden there on Thunder and after two stadias; he had gone back to the palace. That was the first time and he had not been able to make it; the same happened two days later and the king could not believe his own behaviour. He was a soldier, a warrior, a conqueror but he could not defeat his fear of meeting his "family"; he knew he still did not have the right to call them that but his heart knew better than his brain this time.

It was third time lucky that morning; the king rode all the way to the farmhouse and stopped some metres away, near the entrance. He saw a beautiful image in front of his eyes; eyes that were tired of seeing death and destructuion; eyes that needed a refreshing and hopeful sight and there it was. Phainder was chasing a white fat rabbit and laughing loudly; LadyLight was hanging some clothes to dry and Hephaestion was reading, stopping from time to time to look at his son and smile.

Alexander looked at his former lover, he felt his heart flinch inside his chest, his loneliness hurt too much and none of his many, and fantastic achievements helped him at the moment. He let his eyes rest on Hephaestion's strong frame and prayed the gods for a polite welcome.

As if he could sense someone looking at him, Hephaestion looked over his shoulder and a true smile graced his still handsome face.

"Joy to you, Alexander" Hephaestion said aloud.

At the mentioning of the king's name, Phainder let the rabbit go and ran towards the man. Alexander picked him up and gave him a long and strong hug that Phainder gladly reciprocated.

"Have you come to play with me?" the boy asked happily.

"Yes and to visit your father" he added.

"What about my Nani? She is your friend too" the boy replied.

"That's true, we met her a long time ago" Alexander said and looked at the woman with kindness.

"That's right, my king. Would you like something fresh to drink?" she offered politely.

"I'd like some water but with one condition" he said seriously.

"What is that?" she asked curiously.

"Please, don't king me, I'm just Xander here" he answered with a tiny smile.

"Fine, go and sit next to Phai and I will bring some water and cookies. Phainder, come and help me, please" she said and the little boy ran after her.

Alexander looked at Hephaestion and smiled. He could breathe here and he almost felt recovered and free. Hephaestion pushed a chair with his foot towards him and made him sit.

"I'm happy that you are here" Hephaestion said and smiled.

"Me too. Can you believe it is the third time I came?" Alexander said and lowered his face, embarrassed.

"But no one told me. Where was I?" Hephaestion said surprised because neither LadyLight nor Phainder had told him.

"Because it is the first time I came so close to the house" Alexander whispered.

"Don't tell me that you were on your way here and you went back to the palace?" Hephaestion asked gently.

"Yes" Alexander said and blushed even deeper than before.

"Why did you do that?" the brunette asked curiously.

"I was afraid" the king confessed.

"Were you still thinking that I had lied to you about being welcome here?" he asked, a little upset.

"Maybe" Alexander said and he realized how mistaken he had been.

"Alexander, you never were this insecure. By Zeus's ball, Alexander, wake up or you will die!" Hephaestion shouted at him, feeling desperate for Alexander's incapacity to react and take his life back.

LadyLight, who was coming out with a tray with the promised refreshments, shooed Phainder inside the house and told him to go to his room and wait in there until she came to fetch him. The boy looked at her confused but he had learnt to obey her without complaining; he knew that she would explain it to him later.

When she went back to the garden, she saw Hephaestion cradling Alexander in his arms while the great king of the known world sobbed inconsolably. It was a very atypical behaviour that she would not have believed it if she had not seen it with her own eyes.

A minute later, Alexander was rubbing the heels of his hands against his eyes and then whispered a string of "sorry". Hephaestion hugged him again and then tenderly kissed him on the closed eyelids and finally on the lips. Alexander sighed loudly and crumbled in Hephaestion's arms while the brunette racked the white hair with his slender fingers.

Alexander dozed off for some minutes and when he opened his eyes again, Hephaestion saw that they seemed to be more lively, even his features looked more relaxed, as if some of the guilt he had been carrying in his heart had disappeared.

"Let's go inside to fetch Phainder" Hephaestion said and after snaking one arm around the royal waist, they went inside the house.

LadyLight saw them and a tiny smile appeared on her face; things were not totally solved but both men were getting closer again.

"Phainder is in his room. I sent him there but I didn't explain anything" LadyLight warned Hephaestion.

"Thanks, I will go and talk to him. Then I will bring him back so we can all have lunch together" Hephaestion said and looked at Alexander who nodded in acceptance.

As soon as Hephaestion disappeared, LadyLight walked towards Alexander and hugged him tight; she then whispered in his ear:

"He still loves you; he is just a bit afraid but he will come around"

"He doesn't look afraid to me" Alexander said, resting his forehead on top of her head, a gesture he had always done with her due to their height difference.

"You know he is a great pretender; he wears that mask every day and I have never seen a crack in it until your return, Xander" she explained.

"I don't know if I can love him as he deserves; I don't know if I can be the father Phainder needs; I don't know if I can be your friend again, after all the bad moments I brought on you three" he confessed.

"I will always be your friend, Xander, never doubt that. I am sure that you can be a good father and partner, everything depends on your willingness to achieve it and I am sure that you will succeed because, deep down in your heart, you know that you can" LadyLight said and kissed his cheek.

Meanwhile Hephaestion was explaining Phainder why he had been upset with Alexander, he also explained him that the king was in dire need of their reassurance, friendship and love. Phainder listened to his father attentively and then assured him that he was willing to help Alexander get better.

Father and son went back to the kitchen, hand in hand where they found LadyLight and Alexander setting the table. Phainder ran to the king and helped him with it.

They enjoyed their lunch together and Alexander told them about some of the adventures he had in the Arabian lands.

After lunch, Phainder took Alexander to the garden and showed him the new flowers, plants and herbs that LadyLight was looking after. He also told him how his father had taught him to catch small animals with a trap but the six-year-old boy also confessed that he let them go after catching them. The rabbit he had been playing with at the king's arrival had fallen in his trap that same morning.

Boy and king wandered around the farmhouse lands and they ended in the small pond where they sat to take a rest. There was where Hephaestion found them later and his heart had burst with joy when he saw his two favourite men laughing together. Alexander was telling Phainder about his first swimming lessons under the supervision of an eight-year-old Hephaestion. The brunette joined them and shared more stories.

They went back to the house and had dinner together. Alexander was surprised because, for the very first time in many months, he had had his four meals and still felt hungry.

Phainder was not happy at all when his father sent him to sleep but he did it when the king promised to tell him a bedtime story. LadyLight helped him to undress, redress in his sleeping clothes as he was feeling a bit tired, and then she tucked him in. She was about to leave the room when Phainder called her name:

"Yes, my master?" she asked.

"I love you, Nani" he said with his blue eyes wide open.

"I love you too, my gods' gift" she replied.

"I will always love you and need you, Nani" he added, his voice trembling.

"I know, but why do you say that?" she asked worried.

"Because the king can be my friend but you are my Nani" he said.

"Yes, my little prince, I am yours and I will always be" she added and kissed him tenderly on the forehead.

A minute later, Alexander entered the room and sat on the bed. With a very calm and soothing voice, Alexander told his son the story of Achilles and Patroclus while Hephaestion listened to him, leaning on the doorframe.

Phainder listened to him with attention but he lost his battle against Hypnos before the end of the story. Alexander leaned over, kissed his son's forehead, and whispered, against the warm skin, a prayer to the gods to keep him safe and healthy.

Alexander went back to the kitchen and found LadyLight greeting Hephaestion until the following day; she then did the same with Alexander, leaving both men alone.

They talked for another hour about everything that crossed their minds. Alexander was too reluctant to go but he realized that Hephaestion must have been tired too. He stood up and asked Hephaestion to go with him to the barn to fetch Thunder as he did not want to wake up the young page.

Alexander mounted his stallion and took the reins in his hand. He felt a warm caress on his shin so he looked at Hephaestion in his eyes and said:

"Thank you for this beautiful day"

"You are welcome and I really hope to see you more often now" Hephaestion replied.

"I will, I promise" Alexander said and for the first time since his return, he was willing to keep that promise.

"Phainder needs you, Alexander, even if we can't tell him the truth yet" the brunette added.

"What about you?" Alexander asked boldly.

"I need you too but you must be sure, I don't think my heart will resist another break-up" Hephaestion said clearly; he had promised Alexander that there would not be more secrets between them, no matter how girly that sounded.

"I need you too so we have to work together to sort things out" Alexander added.

"Fine, let's do that" Hephaestion said and patted the king's leg.

"Health to you, Phai"

"Health to you, Xander"

And the king left knowing that he could dream about a future together.

The visits to the farmhouse became more frequent and Alexander and Hephaestion spent many afternoons and even late evenings together. It was always too difficult to say goodbye at the end of the visits and Hephaestion could clearly see that Alexander got agitated; it was not easy for him either but he, at least, had Phainder.

Hephaestion decided to extend Alexander's visit for an overnight visit, he did not know how it would pan out but he wanted to try it. When Alexander accepted the idea gladly, Hephaestion set another bed in Phainder's room so both of them could talk for a while. Hephaestion watched his son and former lover exchanging gossips and stories for a long time and when Phainder fell asleep, the king of the biggest known empire tucked his son in and knelt by the side of the bed to watch his sleep.

Two hours later, Hephaestion entered the room and woke up Alexander gently. The king had a bit of a problem while standing up because one of his legs had gone numb. Once the pins and needles were over, Hephaestion and Alexander sat side by side on the second bed and looked at their son sleep placidly as if he knew both his parents were looking after him.

Alexander was about to say something when Hephaestion set a finger on his lips. The former blonde closed his eyes and sighed so he did not see Hephaestion leaning over and lowering his mouth to Alexander's, explaining with that simple kiss what he could not form into words, at least not in that moment.

When the kiss was over, a single tear ran down the side of Alexander's heated cheek. As soon as he saw that, the brunette cupped that cheek with his smooth hand and brushed the tear track away with his thumb.

"Everything will be all right, Xander" Hephaestion whispered and taking the callous hand in his, he lifted it to his lips and kissed the palm reverently.

Alexander's arms found their way around Hephaestion's neck, drawing his face in closer and then claiming Hephaestion's lips with a chaste kiss but Hephaestion had another idea; his lips were hungry and demanding after those seven long years, they were moving sure over Alexander's because they were a well-known territory. He wanted to ravage those lips with a fire insistence because he needed them to be bold enough to kiss his back with the same enthusiasm they had always shared. Hephaestion wanted to leave Alexander weak with passion so he could then hold him tight in spite of the confusion that the king was so seriously feeling at t the moment.

"Come with me" Hephaestion said and taking Alexander's hand, led him toward his own chamber.

Alexander could feel his heart thunder inside his chest, his blood pounding in his veins and he could hear his name whispered repeatedly on his lips. Hephaestion was trying to bring him back from his musings in the best way he knew, giving his king true comfort.

A pair of large hands slid around Alexander's waist and invited him to share the heat of Hephaestion's body that was determined to keep Alexander in his bed, spooning his body gently all night long. Alexander let Hephaestion manhandling him until their bodies were fused together. Hephaestion pressed his lips to Alexander's nape and wished him a good rest.

Alexander patted the hand resting onto his stomach and let his back rest onto Hephaestion's broad chest until both men evened their breathing and fell asleep in each other's arms.

Morning found them still embraced and a change on the mattress woke them up. A little boy of only six summers was looking back at them with big blue eyes and a tiny smile on his lips.

"Joy to you, son" Hephaestion greeted the boy.

"Joy to you, papa and Alexander" they boy greeted them.

"Joy to you, Phainder" Alexander replied and then turning round, he pecked the brunette's lips and said

"And to you, my Moon" he said and Hephaestion could see clarity and happiness in those mismatched eyes he loved so much.

"And to you, my Sun" Hephaestion greeted him back and laughed loudly when he heard Phainder gasp.

"Are you going to be my father too, sire?" Phainder asked and it was difficult for him to hide his happiness.

"Would you like that?" Alexander asked in a whisper.

"Yes, very much" the young blonde answered quickly.

"That is a decision your father has to consider thoroughly so we'd better wait until he can answer us" Alexander said and didn't even dare to look at Hephaestion. However, Phainder looked into his father's eyes, a shade darker than his, and asked:

"So?" he sounded a bit impatient.

"I would not mind at all" Hephaestion said and tightened his grip on Alexander's waist.

"Really?" Alexander asked, turning round to face him.

"Yes, I love you and I'd love you to be part of our lives as you once were part of mine" Hephaestion said clearly.

"I love you too, I never stopped loving you. I was so blind and I let that rule me. When I realized of my mistake, I was too far away, you were gone and our love was in danger …" Alexander said but he could no longer go on speaking.

"Can we have honey on our bread for breakfast, papa?" Phainder asked realizing that their previous happiness was fading away.

"Of course, I'm sure that LadyLight can prepare it for you" Hephaestion suggested and patting Alexander's back; he started to get up from the bed.

He froze in the middle of the action when he heard Phainder asking:

"Would you like some for you too, father?" and he was looking directly towards Alexander.

"Yes, please. Let's wash so then we can eat" Alexander said, offering his hand to the little boy and so Hephaestion, with teary eyes, saw father and son walking hand in hand.

LadyLight, who was already getting ready for breakfast, heard the different footsteps and turned round. Her smile lit the room when she saw her three favourite men holding hands and smiling.

"Joy to you all. You really look happy in this wonderful morning" she said and turned round to put the bread onto the table.

"Joy to you sunshine" the three men greeted her back and laughed loudly at their occurrence.

"Well, have a seat so I can pour some milk for you" and that was how their first family breakfast took place.

TBC


	4. Getting intimate M rated

_CHAPTER 4: Getting intimate - NC-17_

The visits to the farmhouse were more and more frequent and Alexander started to spend the nights there. Even though they had reassumed their romantic relationship, there had not been any kind of intimacy yet.

Little by little, their kisses became hungrier and longer, turning into snogging sessions as if they were 16 again.

Wandering hands groped and touched eagerly but they were always interrupted, leaving both men rather unsatisfied.

One morning, a messenger arrived with a letter from Perdicas, Perseus was celebrating his birthday that afternoon and the three of them were invited to take part in the celebration.

Phainder was really excited; the boy was one of his best friends and he would also be able to see his other father but he knew he could not call him that in front of other people. The king had been busy with things related to the empire and he had been unable to escape to the farmhouse for ten days. Phainder and Hephaestion were missing him dearly and were eager to go to the party and see him too.

After midday, the three of them decided to get dressed in their best clothes, a blue chiton for the boy that matched the hue of his eyes and a dark green peplos for the petite woman. For the first time in almost eight years, Hephaestion paid special attention to his attire. A white chiton with blue embroideries in the lower hem, leather sandals and a deep blue cloak that made his eyes shine brighter. He combed his hair in a low pony tail and the pendant that Alexander had given him when they became lovers many years ago was his only jewel. Hephaestion hoped that his message was received loud and clear by the very cautious king.

As soon as the three of them entered the palace, many heads turned round to look at them. The first thing many of them realized was that the petite woman walking next to Hephaestion was not his wife but LadyLight, the former General and the King's personal friend. Many companions also realized that Hephaestion was still looking as handsome and young as he did eight years ago when he left the army. Many of them had suffered several and serious wounds leaving them with more scars than they had before. All the eyes immediately focused on the blonde boy; they had seen him many times in the palace before but no one had related him to Hephaestion.

Two of Hephaestion's former detractors and sworn enemies approached Hephaestion and were ready to laugh at him when they saw Alexander taking his hand and accompanied him to the table. Phainder greeted the king as formally as his title deserved but then he quietly whispered a sweet "Nice to see you, father" and Alexander felt his heart jump inside his chest. A heartfelt "Nice to see you too, my son" was whispered in the boy's ear making him smile widely and too similar to the king's smile.

After the exchange of greetings and presents, the small banquet began and Hephaestion shared his time with his most intimate friends.

Krateros and Cassander approached the table and tried to mock him by calling him "teacher". The brunette turned round and said calmly:

"If you think I am a lesser person now because I chose to teach instead of fight, I wonder why your nieces and nephews are studying at my school" and then, turning round, he ignored them for the rest of the night.

The party was coming to an end but both boys did not want to be separated so Andromede asked Hephaestion if Phainder could spend the night there. The brunette accepted and immediately after LadyLight announced that she would be staying with Thais for a day or two as she needed help with some things in the house.

"All right, so I am going back home alone" Hephaestion said, seeing how his plans to get closer to Alexander went cold.

The brunette had not realized that he been played and when he announced his idea of going back home, he found himself being followed by an eager king who had been planning that night for the last ten long days. Hephaestion was shocked but he did not contradict his king. Maybe things might go back to their own course.

Both men rode in silence towards the farmhouse and after leaving the horses with the page, they decided to take a walk under the moonlight. They both knew what was going to happen that night but they did not want to take it for granted.

Alexander turned round and looked at Hephaestion; his eyes were as bright as gemstones and they were so enticing that they caused an unsettling tightness in the king's groin.

Hephaestion could not wait any longer; he sank his fingers in the white hair and drew Alexander forwards. He tilted his face up to his, keeping their mouths apart by a breathless gasp. They could feel their hearts thunder against the walls of their chests and they finally surrendered. Hephaestion placed his hand on the nape of Alexander's neck and sought his lips for a chaste kiss, which was immediately deepened by the king making Hephaestion moan in return. Their tongues battled, wanting to claim their ownership on the other.

When the kiss was over, both men were breathing heavily but they did not want to stop. Without further words, they walked back and inside the farmhouse and for the first time in eight years, Hephaestion was alone with Alexander in an empty house.

Hephaestion lifted his gaze and whispered:

"Please, Xander, love me until I am me again"

Alexander looked at him and the urge to take him in his arms and hold him washed through his body like a slow fire, building up his desire and his need to belong to that man.

However, he would not hurry up; he had waited eight long years for this moment, he was sure he could wait some more minutes. The king lowered his hand to the small of Hephaestion's back and urged him forward so the brunette could notice the growing hardness of his body. He knew that Hephaestion was used to his body but the wanted the blue- eyed man to re learn it at his own pace.

Hephaestion realized what Alexander was doing so he let his hands descend slowly along Alexander's back, caressing the skin over the chiton and then gently shaped themselves to his buttocks. After a minute, Hephaestion drew Alexander against him to let him feel his arousal and both men gave a long groan.

Hands started their shy exploration, travelling over a well-known and never forgotten territory and they quickly got used to caressing and demanding more.

Hephaestion pushed Alexander gently onto his back on the bed and climbed beside him. With gentle fingers, he ran his hand over the warm skin, feeling the play of muscles beneath. Since their reunion, Alexander's body and health had improved a lot and even his hair looked more blonde than white. According to the royal doctor, being at home with his friends had been positive for the 42-year-old man. Alexander knew the true cause, having Hephaestion and Phainder in his life had given him a purpose.

Hephaestion laid his hand flat, skimmed it over the silky furring of dark blonde hairs around the brownish nipples, and then circled their areolas with his fingertips. Alexander moaned lowly and that encouraged Hephaestion to go on with this gentle exploration. Hephaestion smiled at him, one of his small intimate and melting smiles that turned the king of the known world to mush.

Alexander's body was humming and throbbing with the need to make love to his Phai but he would not object the idea of Hephaestion taking him.

Hephaestion's hand found again the dark discs of Alexander's nipples that were already roused and pebbled hard so he had no other choice than to bow his head and draw the puckered flesh into his mouth while Alexander's body shivered with pleasure.

When the teasing to his nipples was over, Alexander found himself with a hot tongue following the same path Hephaestion's hands had followed before. His heart pounded inside his chest and the soft moan that came from him spurred Hephaestion's hands into action; they travelled southwards, teasing and caressing the king's shivering flesh.

Alexander lay on his back, now completely naked and erect while gentle hands drove his thighs apart. A throaty moan escaped Alexander's lips as Hephaestion stroke his swelling cock. He then sank his fingers inside the vial with oil on the side table.

Once well lubricated, Hephaestion's finger probed the entrance of Alexander's channel, circling the hot flesh, and then pushing inside the warmth. Another finger joined in, feeling the heat of the wet hall, searching for that secret bundle inside Alexander. The king's body arched in answer when Hephaestion found it. His hips rocked in time to the stroking of Hephaestion's hands while his fingers penetrating deeply inside him.

A sudden spark of desire ran through Alexander's entire body from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet leaving him breathless.

Both men locked eyes and Alexander nodded, granting Hephaestion the entrance to his body. The brunette straightened and pushed gently the head of his cock again the wet opening. He pushed against him, taking himself inside Alexander. The brunette pulsed on him, tightening and then releasing. He stopped for a while to give Alexander time to get used to him again but Alexander had another idea so he lifted his hips and took the full length of Hephaestion's manhood inside his body, eliciting a soft cry in reward. His hips began to rise and fall, meeting each of the brunette's thrusts, keeping the rhythm steady and low.

With two hard thrusts, Hephaestion buried himself once more to the hilt inside Alexander and gave in. A pure orgasm filled him with ecstasy and he finally collapsed onto the sweaty chest while Alexander released his own seed between their bodies.

Hephaestion lifted his face and smiled at Alexander who pecked his nose and smiled back. He then whispered "Thank you" against Hephaestion's lips and the brunette whispered his own thank you back.

Both men snuggled down into each other's arms; there would not be fussing about cleaning that night, they both needed the evidence to believe it had not been a dream.

TBC


	5. Becoming a family

_CHAPTER 5: "Becoming a family"_

After their first new time together, Alexander and Hephaestion did not want to be apart, however, they still had a problem to solve. Phainder was already eight years old and too sensible for his own age. He knew there was something strange and secretive about his mother, bordering into the unusual.

Listening to other children, he had been able to compile information about their mothers; that was how he learnt that children tended to copy their parents' gestures or how children used to calm down when they heard their mothers' heartbeats. He knew that he had never been able to do that but what he did know was that he had always enjoyed or calmed down while dozing on his papa's chest.

As regards gestures, he was the spitting copy of his papa but he had lately discovered that he had some gestures similar to the king's; maybe that was because they had been spending a lot of time together.

The gods had seen the boy's dilemma so father Zeus decided to send Hestia back to Hephaestion to alert him and Alexander about their son's tribulation. The good goddess also offered to be present to help them when they told Phainder the truth about his conception and birth.

Both men were surprised that none of them had realized about Phainder's problem but they breathed calmer when LadyLight assured them that the boy had never said a word to her either.

One early morning, before breakfast, Hephaestion and Alexander asked Phainder to go with them because they had something very important to tell him. The boy was a bit worried but the men looked more nervous than any other thing. LadyLight left the kitchen discretely because it was an intimate family matter. The young woman respected their friendship and she did not want to meddle.

Hephaestion made Phainder sit in front of him while Alexander sat next to him. Hephaestion began telling him the story of a young boy who loved his best friend so much that he dared to ask the gods for the miracle of bearing his children in spite of being both male. Phainder stared at them for a long time and then said:

"You were that boy and father was the other"

"Yes, Phainder. We were mates at 15 but we had met when we were 8 at my grandmother's house" Hephaestion said.

"Yes, I had had a quarrel with my mother and ran away from the palace during the festivities of the Saturnalia. As I was freezing and hungry, I knocked on a door and your great-grandmother gave me food and comfort but most importantly, she gave me the chance to meet your papa that night" Alexander explained and his mismatched eyes were a bit teary because he remembered that time with so much joy.

"So are you trying to tell me that you carried me inside you because the gods listened to your prayers and helped you?" Phainder asked but in spite of his strong voice, doubt could be seen in his blue eyes.

"Yes, my dear Phainder, our little miracle, you are the gift we gave your papa because his heart spoke the truth" Hestia, appearing in all her glory, announced.

The boy looked astonished at the shiny apparition until it took the shape of the goddess Hestia.

"You are … you are …" the small boy tried to remember her name but he could not. Seeing that, his father whispered it in his ear.

"Thank you, father, you are Hestia, the goddess of Hearth and Home" Phainder said and locked his blue eyes with the golden ones.

"Yes Phainder, my brother Zeus and my sister Aphrodite heard the prayer of your papa and they decided to grant him that miracle and here you are, the gods' gift in the flesh" she said with happiness and a bit of mischief in her voice.

"Are you fine, son?" Hephaestion asked very worried.

"You must have loved father too much to ask for that" Phainder said in a whisper.

"Yes, as much as I still love him now and as much as I love you since the moment you opened your eyes and looked at me" Hephaestion explained.

Phainder stood up and approached his papa; he lifted his arm and Hephaestion thought that the boy would slap him with disdain but the boy caressed the brunette's cheek and then kissed it tenderly. With teary eyes, he whispered "Thank you papa" and then he began to sob quietly. Hephaestion immediately hugged him tight and sat him onto his lap. A second pair of arms hugged them both. The boy sobbed for a while and then stopped when he felt the goddess ruffle his hair and send him comfort through her touch.

A giggle and a thunder were heard and Hestia announced that Zeus and Aphrodite were also sending their good wishes for the reunited family. With a final pat on the men's heads and a gentle kiss on the boy's forehead, the goddess disappeared.

"Sunshine, sunshine" Hephaestion called repeatedly.

"Hephaestion, what's the problem?" the petite woman asked while she entered the kitchen in a hurry.

"Come here, please" Hephaestion asked.

When the woman approached, the three men loosened their hug and included the woman in it.

"We are a family and you are part of it, so …" Hephaestion started to say but he was interrupted by Alexander.

"So it means that when Hephaestion and Phainder are ready to move back to the palace, you will come too and we will not accept a no for an answer … well that is if you want to be part of our family too" Alexander said and there was a silent plea in his mismatched eyes.

"Obviously, I cannot imagine what you three would do without me" LadyLight said, trying to hide her surprise; in a moment of weakness, she thought that she would be left behind but she should have known her men better.

"I love you Nani so much and I want to have you next to me all my life" Phainder said, looking at her amorously.

"And you will, my little master. I promise that I will take care of your children too" the woman said, hugging the shortest blonde tight, without knowing that her wish would become true.

"I think today deserves a celebration" Hephaestion said and they all helped to cook and invited all the helpers in the farm to share their joy.

In a moment, during the unplanned celebration, Phainder raised his head and smiled tenderly; he was having dinner in his kitchen; the atmosphere was warm due to the fireplace lit in one of the corners; the food was delicious and the conversation was excellent. However, he wasn't talking too much that night; he was listening attentively; for being an eight-year-old boy he was too quiet and it took him after his Papa.

It had been revealed to him just that morning; the miracle gifted to his Papa by the gods and now he didn´t feel the situation strange anymore because he was happy and he had accepted that he had two fathers and that one of them was also his mum.

In the following months, Hephaestion and LadyLight organized the move back to the palace so after nearly nine long years, Hephaestion was back to his right place and from the moment he set a foot inside the palace, he had promised to himself never to leave it again.

Alexander was so excited that he could not hide it any longer. After consulting it with Hephaestion, because now they consulted and decided everything as a family, they organized a small banquet to celebrate the occasion but not all the guests knew the real cause of it.

The companions, friends and their families were gathered in the Throne Room and for the first time in a long time, children were allowed to attend the banquet too. The eldest saw with joy the mix of generations in only one place and they dared to think that a new era was about to begin.

Alexander was moving around the place, greeting the guests and talking with most of them when he was suddenly stopped by Krateros and Cassander.

"So will the teacher become a General again?"

"That decision is only Hephaestion's; he knows that his position was only covered because it was necessary as I was away but I think he would prefer teaching and looking after our son" he said plainly.

"Your son, have you adopted his brat? What would Drypetis say if she finds out the truth?" Krateros said.

"Phainder is our son, not hers" Alexander said seriously.

"How can he manipulate you so easily, Alexander? Be reasonable!" Cassander shouted, thinking that Hephaestion would become as important for Alexander as he used to be.

"He has never manipulated me and I don't have to give you any explanation because I am still your king" Alexander said.

Hephaestion looked at the scene from afar and he was wondering if he needed to intervene or not when he felt a strong hand over his shoulder and a thunderous voice whispered in his ear:

"Son, let me deal with those two now and forever"

Hephaestion turned round and saw the tallest man he had ever seen, his posture was royal, his eyes looked like made of steel and he walked towards the three men with his head held up. The brunette could recognize the thunder maker in him.

Alexander, who was facing the god, saw him first and he was attracted to the strength the man exuded.

"Joy to you, my son. Are you enjoying the banquet in honour of your partner and son?" the man asked and set his strong arm around Alexander's shoulder.

"Yes, very much. I really think that after all my works, I deserve some peace and family time" Alexander replied and a soft smile graced the king's lips.

"Of course, you do deserve that and more and I am here to assure you that. The first that I will do is to get rid of the poison around you" the latest statement was whispered in the royal ear.

"And who are you, old man? Shouldn't you be in bed by now?" Cassander asked, his usual cockiness in full display.

"Well, I am here to offer you and Krateros a new and more important position and the great Alexander had accepted my suggestion. Come with me Generals and I will tell you more" he said and took them away.

And if no one saw the two Generals again, no one asked a thing about them. Later it was said that they had died in an ambush while they were heading towards their new position. Other said that a strange thunderbolt had striken them in the middle of a sunny afternoon.

The banquet was a happy event for all the people gathered there and Alexander was more than ready to start his family life as soon as possible.

The brunette was very happy but still feeling a bit reserved; he had had it all once and lost it all and he knew that he would not stand losing again. He was deep in his thoughts when a pair of strong arms snaked around his waist and pushed him backwards to rest onto a broad and muscled chest.

"Fear not Hephaestion, this is just our new beginning" and turning him round, Alexander kissed him soundly on the lips.

When the kiss was over, Hephaestion looked into those mismatched eyes that had recovered their former glow and whispered against the royal lips:

"Yes, my Xander, together forever, till the end"

Finis.

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><p><strong>Thanks for the guests who had left their reviews! they are highly appreciated!<strong>


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